629 research outputs found
The B subunit of Escherichia coli heat-labile toxin alters the development and antigen-presenting capacity of dendritic cells
Escherichia coliâs heat-labile enterotoxin (Etx) and its non-toxic B subunit (EtxB) have been characterized as adjuvants capable of enhancing T cell responses to co-administered antigen. Here, we investigate the direct effect of intravenously administered EtxB on the size of the dendritic and mye-loid cell populations in spleen. EtxB treatment appears to enhance the development and turnover of dendritic and myeloid cells from precursors within the spleen. EtxB treatment also gives a dendritic cell (DC) population with higher viability and lower activation status based on the reduced expression of MHC-II, CD80 and CD86. In this respect, the in vivo effect of EtxB differs from that of the highly inflammatory mediator lipopolysaccharide. In in vi-tro bone marrow cultures, EtxB treatment was also found to enhance the development of DC from precursors dependent on Flt3L. In terms of the in vivo effect of EtxB on CD4 and CD8 T cell responses in mice, the interaction of EtxB directly with DC was demonstrated following conditional deple-tion of CD11c+ DC. In summary, all results are consistent with EtxB displaying adjuvant ability by enhancing the turnover of DC in spleen, leading to newly mature myeloid and DC in spleen, thereby increasing DC capacity to perform as antigen-presenting cells on encounter with T cells
Examples and Comments Related to Relativity Controversies
Recently Mansuripur has called into question the validity of the Lorentz
force in connection with relativistic electromagnetic theory. Here we present
some very simple point-charge systems treated through order v^{2}/c^{2} in
order to clarify some aspects of relativistic controversies both old and new.
In connection with the examples, we confirm the validity of the relativistic
conservation laws. The relativistic examples make clear that external forces
may produce a vanishing torque in one inertial frame and yet produce a non-zero
torque in another inertial frame, and that the conservation of angular momentum
will hold in both frames. We also discuss a relativistic point-charge model for
a magnetic moment and comment on the interaction of a point charge and a
magnetic moment. Mansuripur's claims of incompatibiltiy between the Lorentz
force and relativity are seen to be invalid.Comment: 23 page
Packmule
People face demands of hauling equipment and belongings with them every day, whether it be for work or leisure. This design report discusses and details a product that would allow people to overcome the struggles of this. The Packmule is an autonomous following robot that has the capability of carrying a load up to 30 pounds. The design involves two independently controlled motors operating two drive wheels so that the Packmule will be flexible in the directions it can move. There are also two more steering wheels for support of the base and the load inside. The way in which the Packmule follows the user consists of a wireless transmitter that will be worn on the userâs belt. This transmitter will emit an ultrasound signal that will be received by five ultrasonic position sensor receivers mounted on the Packmule. The signals will be filtered and amplified in order to communicate with microcontroller. The strength or amplitude from each received signal will be compared in order to determine the location of the user. Since the Packmule is autonomous, it will need to be able to detect objects in its path. Several infrared sensors will be mounted to the front of the Packmule for this reason. It will track the distance an object is away from the Packmule by measuring the amount of light . Algorithms programmed into the Arduino Mega 2560 microcontroller will take the data from the IR sensors and the ultrasonic position sensor receivers and calculate a path to safely and efficiently follow the user
Faster decline of pitch memory over time in congenital amusia
Congenital amusia (amusia, hereafter) is a developmental disorder that impacts negatively on the perception of music. Psychophysical testing suggests that individuals with amusia have above average thresholds for detection of pitch change and pitch direction discrimination; however, a low-level auditory perceptual problem cannot completely explain the disorder, since discrimination of melodies is also impaired when the constituent intervals are suprathreshold for perception. The aim of the present study was to test pitch memory as a function of (a) time and (b) tonal interference, in order to determine whether pitch traces are inherently weaker in amusic individuals. Memory for the pitch of single tones was compared using two versions of a paradigm developed by Deutsch (1970a). In both tasks, participants compared the pitch of a standard (S) versus a comparison (C) tone. In the time task, the S and C tones were presented, separated in time by 0, 1, 5, 10, and 15 s (blocked presentation). In the interference task, the S and C tones were presented with a fixed time interval (5 s) but with a variable number of irrelevant tones in between: 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 tones (blocked presentation). In the time task, control performance remained high for all time in tervals, but amusics showed a performance decrement over time. In the interference task, controls and amusics showed a similar performance decrement with increasing number of irrelevant tones. Overall, the results suggest that the pitch representations of amusic individuals are less stable and more prone to decay than those of matched non-amusic individuals
Low-Mach-number turbulence in interstellar gas revealed by radio polarization gradients
The interstellar medium of the Milky Way is multi-phase, magnetized and
turbulent. Turbulence in the interstellar medium produces a global cascade of
random gas motions, spanning scales ranging from 100 parsecs to 1000
kilometres. Fundamental parameters of interstellar turbulence such as the sonic
Mach number (the speed of sound) have been difficult to determine because
observations have lacked the sensitivity and resolution to directly image the
small-scale structure associated with turbulent motion. Observations of linear
polarization and Faraday rotation in radio emission from the Milky Way have
identified unusual polarized structures that often have no counterparts in the
total radiation intensity or at other wavelengths, and whose physical
significance has been unclear. Here we report that the gradient of the Stokes
vector (Q,U), where Q and U are parameters describing the polarization state of
radiation, provides an image of magnetized turbulence in diffuse ionized gas,
manifested as a complex filamentary web of discontinuities in gas density and
magnetic field. Through comparison with simulations, we demonstrate that
turbulence in the warm ionized medium has a relatively low sonic Mach number,
M_s <~ 2. The development of statistical tools for the analysis of polarization
gradients will allow accurate determinations of the Mach number, Reynolds
number and magnetic field strength in interstellar turbulence over a wide range
of conditions.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, published in Nature on 13 Oct 201
Darwin-Lagrangian Analysis for the Interaction of a Point Charge and a Magnet: Considerations Related to the Controversy Regarding the Aharonov-Bohm and Aharonov-Casher Phase Shifts
The classical electromagnetic interaction of a point charge and a magnet is
discussed by first calculating the interaction of point charge with a simple
model magnetic moment and then suggesting a multiparticle limit. The Darwin
Lagrangian is used to analyze the electromagnetic behavior of the model
magnetic moment (composed of two oppositely charged particles of different mass
in an initially circular orbit) interacting with a passing point charge. The
changing mangetic moment is found to put a force back on a passing charge; this
force is of order 1/c^2 and depends upon the magnitude of the magnetic moment.
It is suggested that in the limit of a multiparticle magnetic toroid, the
electric fields of the passing charge are screened out of the body of the
magnet while the magnetic fields penetrate into the magnet. This is consistent
with our understanding of the penetration of electromagnetic velocity fields
into ohmic conductors. Conservation laws are discussed. The work corresponds to
a classical electromagnetic analysis of the interaction which is basic to
understanding the controversy over the Aharonov-Bohm and Aharonov-Casher phase
shifts and represents a refutation of the suggestions of Aharonov, Pearle, and
Vaidman.Comment: 33 page
The basal ganglia in perceptual timing: timing performance in Multiple System Atrophy and Huntington's disease.
The timing of perceptual events depends on an anatomically and functionally connected network comprising basal ganglia, cerebellum, pre-frontal cortex and supplementary motor area. Recent studies demonstrate the cerebellum to be involved in absolute, duration-based timing, but not in relative timing based on a regular beat. Conversely, functional involvement of the striatum is observed in relative timing, but its role in absolute timing is unclear. This work tests the specific role of the basal ganglia in the perceptual timing of auditory events. It aims to distinguish the hypothesised unified model of time perception (Teki, Grube, & Griffiths, 2012), in which the striatum is a mandatory component for all timing tasks, from a modular system in which they subserve relative timing, with absolute timing processed by the cerebellum. Test groups comprised individuals with Multiple System Atrophy, a disorder in which similar pathology can produce clinical deficits associated with dysfunction of the cerebellum (MSA-C, n = 8) or striatum (MSA-P, n = 10), and early symptomatic Huntington's disease (HD, n = 14). Individuals with chronic autoimmune peripheral neuropathy (n = 11) acted as controls. Six adaptive tasks were carried out to assess perceptual thresholds for absolute timing through duration discrimination for sub- and supra-second time intervals, and relative timing through the detection of beat-based regularity and irregularity, detection of a delay within an isochronous sequence, and the discrimination of sequences with metrical structure. All three patient groups exhibited impairments in performance in comparison with the control group for all tasks, and severity of impairment was significantly correlated with disease progression. No differences were demonstrated between MSA-C and MSA-P, and the most severe impairments were observed in those with HD. The data support an obligatory role for the basal ganglia in all tested timing tasks, both absolute and relative, as predicted by the unified model. The results are not compatible with models of a brain timing network based upon independent modules
ASCA Observations of the Starburst-Driven Superwind Galaxy NGC 2146: Broad Band (0.6 - 9 keV) Spectral Properties
We report ASCA GIS and SIS observations of the nearby (D = 11.6 Mpc), nearly
edge-on, starburst galaxy NGC 2146. These X-ray spectral data complement ROSAT
PSPC and HRI imaging discussed by Armus et al., 1995. The broad band (0.6-9
keV) X-ray spectrum of NGC 2146 is best described by a two component model: the
soft X-ray emission with a Raymond-Smith thermal plasma model having a
temperature of kT keV; the hard X-ray emission with a thermal plasma
model having kT keV or a power-law model having a photon index of
. We do not find compelling evidence of substantial excess absorption
above the Galactic value. The soft (hard) thermal component provides about 30%
(70%) of the total luminosity in the 0.5 - 2.0 keV energy band, while in the
2-10 keV energy range only the hard component plays a major role. The spectral
results allow us to set tighter constraints on the starburst-driven superwind
model, which we show can satisfactorily account for the luminosity, mass, and
energy content represented by the soft X-ray spectral component. We estimate
that the mass outflow rate ( 9 M per year) is about an order of
magnitude greater than the predicted rate at which supernovae and stellar winds
return mass into the interstellar medium and, therefore, argue that the flow is
strongly "mass-loaded" with material in and around the starburst. The estimated
outflow velocity of the hot gas is close to the escape velocity from the
galaxy, so the fate of the gas is not clear. We suggest that the hard X-ray
spectral component is due to the combined emission of X-ray binaries and/or
young supernovae remnants associated with the starburst.Comment: 26 pages plus 4 figures, LaTex manuscript, Accepted for publication
in the Astrophysical Journa
The Paradoxical Forces for the Classical Electromagnetic Lag Associated with the Aharonov-Bohm Phase Shift
The classical electromagnetic lag assocated with the Aharonov-Bohm phase
shift is obtained by using a Darwin-Lagrangian analysis similar to that given
by Coleman and Van Vleck to identify the puzzling forces of the Shockley-James
paradox. The classical forces cause changes in particle velocities and so
produce a relative lag leading to the same phase shift as predicted by Aharonov
and Bohm and observed in experiments. An experiment is proposed to test for
this lag aspect implied by the classical analysis but not present in the
currently-accepted quantum topological description of the phase shift.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figure
Approaches to the cortical analysis of auditory objects
We describe work that addresses the cortical basis for the analysis of auditory objects using âgenericâ sounds that do not correspond to any particular events or sources (like vowels or voices) that have semantic association. The experiments involve the manipulation of synthetic sounds to produce systematic changes of stimulus features, such as spectral envelope.
Conventional analyses of normal functional imaging data demonstrate that the analysis of spectral envelope and perceived timbral change involves a network consisting of planum temporale (PT) bilaterally and the right superior temporal sulcus (STS). Further analysis of imaging data using dynamic causal modelling (DCM) and Bayesian model selection was carried out in the right hemisphere areas to determine the effective connectivity between these auditory areas. Specifically, the objective was to determine if the analysis of spectral envelope in the network is done in a serial fashion (that is from HG to PT to STS) or parallel fashion (that is PT and STS receives input from HG simultaneously). Two families of models, serial and parallel (16 in total) that represent different hypotheses about the connectivity between HG, PT and STS were selected. The models within a family differ with respect to the pathway that is modulated by the analysis of spectral envelope. After the models are identified, Bayesian model selection procedure is then used to select the âoptimalâ model from the specified models. The data strongly support a particular serial model containing modulation of the HG to PT effective connectivity during spectral envelope variation.
Parallel work in neurological subjects addresses the effect of lesions to different parts of this network. We have recently studied in detail subjects with âdystimbriaâ: an alteration in the perceived quality of auditory objects distinct from pitch or loudness change. The subjects have lesions of the normal network described above with normal perception of pitch strength but abnormal perception of the analysis of spectral envelope change
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